The Open Data Exchange

The Open Data Exchange now exists. Let me explain why.

Housing associations have a headache. And it looks like this:

1. Tenant dissatisfaction. This is not simply feeling bad because we are continually disappointing those we serve, but it invites regulator action, which is the only guaranteed terminal event for Associations.
2. The main cause of tenant dissatisfaction is the quality of homes. The longstanding and severe issues we have with our ageing and unsuitable homes, includes leaks, damp and mould, noise nuisance, heating costs and so on.
3. The asset management system, which has some of the information we need to make the correct decisions on repairs and tenant demands, but which due to IT failures is largely inaccessible and frequently wrong.

These are the issues that all HAs face. In addition they have the problem of not enough money (which is getting worse) and staff issues (overwhelmed, hard to find the right people, job less rewarding if it feels like everyone hates you).

OK, understood. Moving to the pain-killers. The solution is within reach but it will need a lot of work. In the short term, we offer ODX – the Open Data Exchange.

ODX is a solution that unusually (but powerfully) starts with the tenant voice. Instead of forcing residents to participate in scrutiny panels, boards and committees we have started with listening to what tenants say about their home. The state of their home is their number one complaint. When we focus on listening to what the resident wants and needs from their home, and create a plan with them to deliver this in a reasonable time frame at a reasonable cost, they are transformed from supplicants into consumers. We change the power dynamic. The tenant voice becomes prioritised, and our role is to listen.

Open data is the way to activate the tenant voice. ODX captures the tenant view to which the HA must respond. This can best be done through respectful partnership and listening, but where the association is deaf to the tenant voice then this will be played out in public. Open data will have the effect of forcing up standards. Everyone wants higher standards and better homes – residents, landlords and regulators. Although making it public seems scary, this is the most effective lever there is to driving up quality.

Open data would also force landlords to correct and improve their mouldy old data. Tenants can check for accuracy and will be able to use the ODX platform to input the facts. Consequently we will move towards self-healing data, making the job easier because the data is pooled and the endeavour is shared. Open data also implies specific agreed reporting standards which accelerates better data collection and allows people to compare landlords more effectively.

Open data implies data-sharing. The tenant is adding important data as they know more than the landlord in key respects. So do the contractors who carry out repairs or specialist actions (eg boiler replacements, gas safety checks, void works etc). ODX will allow contractors to add their knowledge about the homes they maintain, adding another layer of data and valuable information that the landlord and tenant may not know.

Landlords, tenants and contractors gain from this novel, straightforward and honest account of social housing assets.

We believe the regulator and Ombudsman would benefit from being able to see what tenants think about their landlords and also to access the data they require. They will be able to chart the improvements in the quality of housing and satisfaction over time and thus prove to the public and the government that their work is having an effect.

Despondency and exhaustion are replaced by a virtuous circle.

Today, ODX is just an idea. We don’t have a technology partner and we don’t have any money. But if you can supply either we would love to hear from you.